The Beginning Of After
by dairjair3252
Summary: What if you were marrying the perfect man. Or, at least thought you were. And you found out this secret, on the day of your wedding. Who would you choose, the Charming Prince, or the simple Pauper?
1. Chapter 1

She had been on the edge. She didn't know whether she wanted to go through with it, marrying him. But those vows, wow. She knew he loved her, she was sure about that much, but the vows he had written had just proved how much he understood her. She was absolutely sure now. Now, her wedding was just a couple of hours away, and she was happy, finally just truly happy. Knowing that the man she was about to marry not only loved her unconditionally, but also understood her, as more than just "Queen Bee". That was until the moment Chuck walked into the room.

"Blair, you look beautiful." said Chuck.

"Thank you. . . What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to tell you that you can't marry Louis. Not because of that stupid promise you made."

"How did you know about that? Who told you?" she asked, all of a sudden furious with whoever had open their big mouths.

"Look, it's a long story, for another time. But right now, I'm telling you that you can't go through with this."

"And why not?" She didn't like it when people told her what to do, no matter who is was.

"Because you don't love him, Blair!"

"But I do Chuck, and you don't seem to understand that. Our love may have been a "great love". But the thing about great loves is that they never end well, it's always just a moment, that's bound to end sometime." she responded softly. "I need you to go. I made my decision a long time ago Chuck, and you can't change my mind about it. I'm marrying Louis today, there's no preventing it."

"Blair , please just ..."

"No, Chuck" she interrupted, "Leave, there's no more trying to convince me. It's done. There are some people you can only love by not being with them."

He sighed, "I hope your happy, Blair, I really do." he said with sincerity.

She was free, and it felt like the weight of 1,000 planets just lift off her shoulders.


	2. Chapter 2

She had been getting her make-up and hair touched up when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in" She said.

"Hey, I just wanted to come by and say congratulations."

"Oh, hi Dan." She got up to greet him.

"Look, I just wanted to come by and tell you that I'm going have to leave right after the wedding. I have to catch a flight tonight, and if I stay any longer I could miss it."

"What? Why? Look, Humphrey, this might be the only royal wedding you'll be invited to, I think you might want to appreciate it and stay." Said Blair, trying to cover up the fact that she indeed needed her friend here, although she wouldn't necessarily tell him.

"It's not that, I just, I have this meeting I have to get to, I could've gone later but I honestly didn't really think you would've minded."

"I don't of course. I was just saying." She was too proud to admit that maybe, just maybe, it would be nice to have him at her wedding.

"I also came by to give you your wedding gift, you know in case I didn't see you after. Sorry if it's nothing special, but, I just thought that since you're getting so many expensive gifts, maybe one a little more, personal, would be better." He handed her the gift the size of a shoe box.

"What is it?"

He laughed, "Well, you're going to have wait until after the wedding to find that out."

There was something different about his laugh though, it sounded more hollow, sadder than usual.

"Thanks Humphrey. "

"You're welcome Waldorf, but, um, I should probably get going. Serena is probably waiting for me."

"Oh, right. See you soon."

And with that he walked out. She could help but feel some of the warmth go along with him.


	3. Chapter 3

_*** So, I'm sorry if I'm like bombarding you guys with this, I've just gotten a lot of inspiration these past two days. Like, I've literally have been writing in class, just so that my ideas could float out. Hahah, so , you can now get back to reading ! (: *** _

Dan's P.O.V

He was unhappy. No, that's an understatement, he was slowly dying inside. It was killing him to know that the woman he loved was going to marry another man. And he had to watch it happened.

He knows what you're thinking, "Aren't Waldorf and Humphrey supposed to be mortal enemies?" Well, they were. But, he got to know her, and she wasn't as bad as she seemed. Of course, he hadn't realized that the reason he was so upset over the idea of Blair hating him wasn't because of their 'friendship' or whatever they had. It was because he was in love with her. In love with Blair Waldorf, Queen Bee, and soon to be Princess of Monaco. And Chuck had made him realize it.

But here he was now. Standing next to Louis at the altar, waiting for Blair to walk down the aisle and finally shatter his heart, without even knowing it. _This is it, _he thought, _a couple of more minutes and then, maybe I could try and forget her. Move one, as best as I can. And if that doesn't work out, then, hell, I'll leave._

I heard the doors open, and I knew it was going to sting, but not this much, not this deeply. It felt as if someone had ripped their hand through my chest. And that's when I realized I wouldn't be able to be here, in New York, after Blair was married. He had to leave, for a while at least. Maybe meet some nice girl in a small town, and try to forget Blair, at least for a while. That was all he needed.

And when he heard Louis read the vows he had written, well, he broke. The only reason he had agreed to write them in the first place was because he wanted Blair to have what she deserved. And that included having the best vows anyone could ever write.

Louis started to speak, _"In the film Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn said "I have learnt how to live… how to be in the world and of the world, and not just to stand aside and watch and I will never, never again run away from life or from love, either." While it may sound a bit strange, I feel the same way as Sabrina. And it's because of you, Blair Waldorf. You have taught me how to live, how to enjoy everything the world has to offer. You have brought out this side of me I never thought existed. Before you, I did not truly know how to live. I was expected to be a certain kind of person. But the truth is, that person was someone I didn't actually like that much…" _

He couldn't hear this, not anymore. He was the one closest to the door, and so he started to slip away. _She won't realize, _he thought, _if I'm lucky, no one will. _

And with that, he slipped away, through the door, and into the cold New York air.


	4. Chapter 4

_***Music really helps me write, it kind of just flows out, so I'm going to keep posing until I actually have to sit and REALLY think about it. But meanwhile, you should all check out Trading Yesterday, they're awesome. (: Also, the chapters will be like this, 2 in Blair's P.O.V, then 2 in Dan's. And so-forth, but this chapter is half and half. ***_

_ **Dan**_

As he headed back to the loft, he couldn't help but feel lost. He knew the place like the back of his hand, but there was something missing, and it changed the whole atmosphere. He wanted to leave, to forget, but at the same time wanted to remember everything, all the moments they had, he wanted to stay. But he knew he couldn't.

When he got there, he went straight to his desk. He had to say goodbye, somehow, even if it was a letter. And he'd have to make a reason up, he couldn't tell Blair it was because it hurt too much to love her, not ever.

And so he wrote his goodbye to Nate.

_Dear Nate; _

_ I'm sorry that I had to leave without notifying all of you first. I'm going to be gone for a while, I don't know exactly how long. I just have to think some things through, remember why I became a writer, you know? Get my priorities straight. You won't be able to contact me, my phone will be off, you know, no distractions and all. I felt that I had to leave right away, so that I wouldn't change my mind. Tell everyone I'm sorry, especially Blair. _

_ Sincerely,_

_ Dan_

And with that, he packed all his bags, left the key in its hiding spot, and left to hail a cab. His flight was scheduled to leave in 2 hours, he would have to rush. He didn't want to be here when Blair found out he had left in the middle of her royal wedding, not that she would care actually.

He opened the car door and told the driver "To J.F.K, and please hurry."

**_Blair_**

His vows, they were exactly what she had needed to hear. But somehow, they didn't sound right coming from Louis, they sounded so foreign on his lips, too unfamiliar.

And when the priest asked her if she accepted Louis as her husband, she hesitated as she said "I . . . I do.'' There was a cheer, applause from the guests as he dipped her and gave her his first kiss as her husband. And it felt wrong.

When they went out to the dance floor to have their first dance, all she could see was the flashing lights of her friends and family taking pictures of them. She couldn't help but feel something was missing, something important.

And at the reception, she went into Louis' dressing room. She had been cold and he had told her that his jacket was there. In a wave of curiosity she started to look around the room. On the desk in front of the mirror, were sheets of paper. She walked closer to see what they were, and they took her breath away.

They were Louis' vows, or, at least she had thought they were, _But then why are they in Humphrey's handwriting?, _she thought. She had to find out the truth, she was done with all the lies.

She slammed the door as she left to find her new husband.


	5. Chapter 5

_** I'm going to try to update at least twice a week, but I don't know. I have to focus on school more since I'm failing my English class. I'll try my best though! Enjoy(:**_

_ Blair_

She found at the bar, talking to some of his royal friends. "What is this?'' she asked, holding up the handwritten vows she had found.

He stared, mouth agape, _I thought I had hidden those, _he thought. "Um, where'd you find those love?"

_ Is he really going to try and be cute about this_, she thought to herself annoyed. "It was lying in your dressing room _sweetheart" _she said venomously. "Care to tell me why they're in Humphrey's handwriting." And in that moment she realized she hadn't seen said person since the wedding.

"Look", he started, "I know this is going to sound really horrible, and I beg you to not get angry with me, but I sort of asked Daniel to help me write my vows."

She was stunned. Angry. So many emotions running through her that she couldn't speak, not for a while. And when she finally did, she said" Then let's go find Humphrey now." She couldn't completely accept the fact that the person who had "peered into her soul" was Dan Humphrey, and not Louis.

She tried looking for him, but couldn't find him anywhere, and so she went to the only other place she could think of. Serena.

"Serena!" She had found her at the entrance, with Nate. "Thank god I found you, S. Do you know where Humphrey is? I need to find him now, and speak to him."

"Um, B, I'm really sorry but, " Serena started, "he's not here. He left. I'm so sorry. When I realized he was gone I told Nate to go and see if he was out. He went to the loft and found this."

She handed her a sheet of paper. His goodbye.

"That selfish little, ugh!" She wanted to give him a piece of her mind, and no matter how crazy it sounded or seemed, she just wanted to find him, and let her frustrations out. I mean, how could he just leave her wedding like that? He was supposed to be her friend, wasn't he? And those vows, why would he even agree to something like that?

She went out the doors, ignoring the screams and pleads of Louis and Serena. And as she told her driver to go to J.F.K and step on it, she couldn't help but realize that no one had come after her.


End file.
